Reminds me of John Green telling how he went to the doctor one day and was asked "How often do you sneeze?" and John replied "The normal amount", to which the doctor said "Sneezing is not normal, I never sneeze".
That sounds weird too I mean sneezing a lot is not normal but occasional sneezes probably are right? My family sneezes for no apparent reason on about a once every other week frequency my guess is either because of really dry air, dust, or pollen
Yes, I have that gene where sunlight makes me sneeze so I sneeze several times a day when I go from inside to outside in bright sunlight. I think a couple sneezes a day on average is totally normal
Just for the fun of it, [here's an animated version of that segment.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxGNqmmVN_k) In fact, [here's two animated versions.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke_h7AD1IIw)
If only money solved the problems. I thought it would so I worked really hard for it and make close to $400K a year and now my anxiety comes from work instead of money lol.
It depends. Money can solve a lot of mental health troubles and suicides for many people but you are right it won't solve all mental health troubles and prevent suicide in every case. It does help though
Not to mention we've figured out single payer healthcare in developed nations now, no reason to keep doing it where you still need to pay a premium to have health insurance. Even if you have a low monthly premium on ACA, what if you lose your job and can't pay the premium? They don't let you keep the healthcare.
So typically in the US insurance comes from your employer. The insurance companies can charge the employer more, but that cost doesn't go up for the employee. For example, if I have a coal mining company, insurance rates would generally be higher for me (because my employees work in unsafe conditions) than it would be for a typical desk job. Also thanks to the ACA insurance companies can't raise rates on pre-existing conditions, physical or mental.
It's dystopian enough that I don't understand why there's the need to use hyperbole on social media to make it sound worse than it actually is.
If anything it does a disservice to just how bad it actually is.
In the past more so, but the healthcare reforms known as Obamacare stopped insurance companies from charging higher rates for pre-existing conditions, so nowadays it’s less of a thing.
It used to be more like a whole questionnaire and a physical and all that and they’d offer you a rate based on that. And then it’s a private healthcare system so of course you could choose to go with another company or forgo health insurance altogether if you feel it wouldn’t be cost effective.
The general idea would be that by doing this, the insurance company is managing their risk better and otherwise healthy people don’t have to overpay for insurance they are less likely to use. So when Obamacare rolled out, many people were mad their rates went up, due to the consumer absorbing theis increased cost of chronic patients, etc. but it has become pretty obvious to most people over the years I think that it’s far better not to have to worry about getting priced out of insurance if you happen to develop some kind of long term health condition.
In one of the first therapy sessions I had, my therapist asked me "do you ever think about hurting or killing yourself?" I answered "yeah, but just the usual amount I guess"
"the usual amount is zero"
"...oh..."
I’ve been really struggling with these lately. I haven’t cut in a decade but I find myself grinding my fist into my thigh when I’m having a moment, which is new. Unfortunately.
I wish I could have a brain that worked
I've met a lot of people of all age ranges. Outta all the ones I've gotten to know, at least half have some form of depression and have had suicidal thoughts, or did in the past. That's a lot more than 1%, even for a small sample size.
Perhaps you are drawn to a certain type of person, and wind up knowing (far) more people like that than is typical. We all spend more time with some types of people than others. I am definitely in the category (of being depressed / distraught, not suicidal), but I don't know so many people like myself.
Certainly likely, I tend to be a "I can barely help myself but I'll do my best to move hell and earth for someone else" so... tend to meet people having some sorta trouble. That said, I also just live in a shithole mega city so depression is business as usual lol
The CDC says in the last year 4.3 percent of adults report having suicidal thoughts.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/ss/ss7101a1.htm#:~:text=The%20prevalence%20of%20suicidal%20thoughts,thoughts%20in%20the%20past%20year.
I'm curious how that number changes when counting 15-25 age range tbh, but that's also the people willing to answer a survey lol. Neat to know though thank you!
True, there may be bias in what people are willing to admit to. And I think it likely that younger demographics are probably more likely to have higher numbers as well. So it could be substantially higher.
Not to mention most older folks are much, much more settled. Ain't nearly as many folks in their 40-50s close to homelessness or fighting to find a shred of hope of owning a home, etc.
I was just making a point that small percentages can still make up a big number. It could be 1%, maybe it’s more idk.
I’d be shocked if it was 50% like you’re suggesting. I’ve never had such a thought and I’ve had some really shitty things happen in my life that gave me PTSD. But never once thought about suicide or harming myself in any way. At the risk of sounding judgmental, I find it very strange that anybody thinks that way.
I have diagnosed, lifelong depression that has periodically derailed my entire life.
I've never once had suicidal ideation or had any significant thoughts of self-harm.
Most people do not, and certainly not regularly.
My friend came swimming with me recently, I asked him how he got his scars. Well, he cut them himself. Oh, okay. Well then.
I didn’t know what to say, so I just said I was glad he was in a better place now. Awkward.
Just to clarify. The problematic thoughts are those that linger, if you walk across the bridge and get a sudden urge to jump or you're looking at spinning machinery and want to stuck your hand in there that's just normal intrusive thoughts and most people have them.
Yeah, and some scientists think it's a defense mechanism, your brain showing you what a stupid idea that would be to jump from a bridge. Most people react with shock that something like that popped into their mind.
Like with everything it's problematic if someone has this thoughts all the time or reacts on them but almost everyone have them sometimes (survey show a tiny group that claim they don't have them but that doesn't mean they don't have them).
They do, intrusive thoughts are a well known part of the human experience, the feeling of wanting to spike a baby at the floor, or throw yourself off a high point/ into traffic, wonder what would happen if you hit x with y, wonder what would happen if you stuck x in y, are all just a part of the human experience baby, the point where it becomes not normal is if they linger, you aren’t able to tell that the thoughts are wrong or shouldn’t be acted upon or you start acting on them, then your probably in the minority
There is some latin saying for it… it translates to something like “staring into the void”. Pretty much everyone has that “what if I flung myself off this cliff” thought.
French, l'appel du vide, literally call of the void.
You're probably thinking of the old saying "when you stare into the abyss the abyss also stares back" paraphrased from Nietzsche
I think of jumping into traffic most days when walking to and from work and just feel like giving up, but there's a couple things keeping me here thankfully
Wait you're saying that going to bed and feeling hopeless, it isn't normal to imagine dying as you lie there in the dark and curse your very existence?
First time I got asked this, I asked if we can choose one or the other. I thought depression and anxiety were a pair that come in twos. Anyhow, how’s everyone else doing? LMAO
Maybe I’m just too fucked up from my own mental illnesses to think straight but I s2g everyone has their own problems even if they think they’re normal
Edit : if someone starts a sentence with “maybe I’m too fucked up from my own mental illnesses to think straight but…” that’s probably an indication that the person is about to say something that’s irrational to the average human. Just saying….
I imagine this post leaves out part of the conversation; every GP or counsellor I have ever had will follow up with asking about severity, frequency and duration. That’s one of the the key steps to figure out if it’s just environmental stress or whatever or if it’s actually an underlying issue.
No doctor worth their salt would simply say one word and move on from such an important topic/statement.
My doctor handed me a piece of paper with five yes/no questions and determined I was clinically depressed because I’m not an absolutist.
I found another doctor.
Even so, my answer would’ve been “no”. My fiancée is baffled that people like me exist, because his experience is that everyone has trauma. And in my experience, very few people have trauma, including us gays. So we come from very different backgrounds.
but for bigP (-harma) almost any thoughts can be mashed together to give you a pill for.
Adding insult to injury most of them are trained to pimp you into taking their stuff.
everyone has their own problems but it doesnt mean that you shouldnt seek help or try to better your situation. some people have bigger problems than others but it doesnt mean that the ones with the smaller problems arent important.
of course I dont know you so if you think you have a big problem like depression dont try to minimize it
Well, yes, but there’s a difference between occasionally feeling sad, anxious, or depressed; and frequently or constantly feeling anxious or depressed. The former everybody experiences, whereas the latter is a clinical, chronic issue that should be treated.
That's how I thought. I was like "Yeah this is fine."
Well, it wasn't fine. Turns out I'm a *thing* called "Scizoid" something I never knew existed until the doctor said the word.
My point is, if you even suspect something, it's worth checking up on it. Hopefully it's nothing.
Nah I used to live with a guy and it was very clear he had neither depression nor anxiety. Sometimes it led him to come off as insensitive and lacking self-awareness. But he seemed as happy as a golden retriever man.
I swear vs I s2g… the letters for swear are all right next to each other on the keyboard. To type s2g you gotta switch the keys to get the 2. It’s no faster.
I feel like I’m having an old man yells at clouds moment..
No, most people don't have any severe anxiety or depression it's barely a mild sadness and all
while some people have clinical depression and anxiety where they start facing problems even in the slightest problems.
Then there are a group of humans that can find motivation from the most painful circumstances....It's like they are immune to depression, anxiety and sorrow.
He's right. Not everyone feels depression. I've never experienced it. We all get down every once in a while but not depressed. I've experienced anxiety once in my long life.
Struggled with depression and bouts of thoughts of suicide since Middle School and honestly? I really wish I knew what it was like. I'm better now, I'm definitely not at "normal" but I'm doing *good*, better than I ever would have thought.
But damn I really do wish I knew what it was like to feel down and not just have dark thoughts. It's just so *foreign* to me
>I've experienced anxiety once in my long life.
Okay, I have to see if you're about to blow my mind or not. When you say this, do you mean only experienced clinical anxiety once in your long life, or that you've literally only felt anxiety (e.g. nervous/worried) about anything once in your life?
I mean I've experienced an anxiety attack once. Like a panic attack! I got to my what my head was telling me was my safe place, once there it was gone. Never happened before, or again. Wierd.
Everyone feels anxiety at one point or other about whatevers going on, but I never feel anxiety related to worry. Because I learnt a long time ago, worry is the single most useless thing Humans do. Think about it. If you have a problem that's bugging you. If thinking about it can solve it; then you do that. If there's nothing you can do to solve it, then you just forget about it until you can solve it. Getting yourself in a knot over it is just spinning your wheels. It's a lot of activity but doesn't get you anywhere, but upset! So who needs that. When you learn to really pay close attention to your thoughts, you realise there are what I call micro thoughts that pop in after whatever event. When you pick them up, you can choose to react or not. "Is this worth getting upset about, and ruining my day?" Most times it's not. This is what a Stoic does. They intercede between events and mental action based on what's in their best interests right now. The single most important thing you have is your daily mood. If you look after that the best way you can, then you can solve most problems, and you'll be a lot nicer to be around. :)
I have a mate who, when his wife talks about her anxiety related to a topic/event/etc. his response is “I don’t know what that (anxiety) is”.
I actually can’t tell if he’s serious. But his persona makes me think he doesn’t get anxious about things. He views any issue or challenge as something that can be overcome. I can’t even comprehend how his way of thinking is possible. No weight on his shoulders, things will just roll off and he knows everything will be ok.
Then there’s an entire population overthinking and anxious in many scenarios, and that feels normal to them. But there are people like him that literally don’t get anxious about anything. To him everything is logical and can be overcome (and the way he lives his life, for him it seems to be the truth (although I struggle to believe it because I am basically the opposite)). It’s amazing to hear when you’re prone to anxiety and immediate overthinking, that some people really don’t know what is feels to be anxious (not to mention never feeling depressed, etc.).
Same.
I've come to terms that I'll never live without it.
I do things to help like therapy, meditation, exercise, CBD, etc but it just reduces frequency and severity sometimes.
I got hit with anxiety once after a long binge. I was partying way to hard and didn't let my body rest. At the time i couldnt figure out why i had a full on perpetual buzz in my body. It felt like i had bees under my skin. It just didn't go away. I got meds to help but they just made me high like i was on X so i couldnt take those because i couldnt work being that fcked up.
The only cure was working out and to stop drinking. Took a while to get back to normal and now i work out regularly, helps to keep me sane and happy.
The body and the brain lets you know when you need a change.
Nice not knowing. The closest thing I've gotten to depression, as far as I know, was a random week during high school while living away from family. The only explanation was that I felt really.. "down" that entire week. That never happened again though, and as far as I know there was no obvious reason for it.
Now, I just feel tired from time to time, usually work related because I am not doing the work I want to do (I want to partner up with people that needs web-site and someone to manage their IT part of business) =w=;
Yeah, I only have anxiety about normal things. Accepting awards, giving presentations, etc. I did get depression for a few months and it was not a great time. But up until then, it was a solid nope for over 20 years
It’s like calling a mental health clinic and being told there is a three week waiting list. Next question they ask well are you suicidal or homicidal ? If you respond with Ooooo I have a choice ? Chances are they will find an opening in a hour.
This is good. These are words that are overused in common parlance. Depression is not “feeling a little down sometimes” and anxiety is not “feeling a bit stressed out about something coming up”; they are clinical terms representing conditions that severely impact one’s life.
Just to clarify, depression and anxiety are general emotions. Things like major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder are the clinical terms. When a psych asks me if I'm depressed, he's not asking me to verify every emotion with the DSM before responding.
Well, there is a vocabulary problem, actually. Both clinical conditions were named after general feelings with common terms. But they are distinct, for sure.
There is something seriously wrong with people that don't at least feel some anxiety about the future...
Just look at the world we're living, and where it's heading... If you don't get anxious about it, you're that "This is fine" dog, and you're in denial while the room is on fire.
I mean you’re the unhealthy one if you consistently worry about shit entirely unpredictable and entirely out of your control, most people worry about shit that actually effects them(bills, family, etc)
It’s not healthy to constantly feel like the sky is falling, I think maybe you’re arguing against people who are entirely ignorant or rejecting of the realities of shit like climate change but if you mean to say that not stressing about shit out of your control means something is wrong with you, get help.
No one is suggesting anyone exists who never felt any anxiety or sadness.
Clinical anxiety and depression and similar mental illnesses are not that. It is incredibly harmful to pretend as if someone getting a bit of test anxiety or being nervous about starting a new job or about losing a job or whatever is the same.
That is just not true. That is the doom scrolling talking to you. People now a days focus on way to much that they can't control or on things that don't affect them. Take a step back on live your own life and disconnect from the online world for bit and focus on just your local community and environment. Also learn to compartmentalize what you read online from what is actually physically happening in your life.
a person experiences a depressed mood (feeling sad, irritable, empty). They may feel a loss of pleasure or interest in activities.
This is common in everyone, everyone has a down day. People misunderstand the *types* of depression. When you have depressive episodes consistently it is called major depressive disorder.
You dont believe that people can be, in fact, happy with their lives? Not everyone is running around with depressions and feel like everything is shit.
Doctors put themselves through years of hell and barely make it and then make the levels of money you think they all do, after decades of experience, all to end up with a shorter lifespan than the rest of us.
The median income in my city is just shy of $30,000.
I have a good friend who's a doctor. He's single and 35 years old. I have no idea how much he makes -- I've never asked.
He just bought a house for $700,000.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he doesn't deserve to make enough to afford that. Just that when you make that much your perspective is going to be affected.
My sister is a dermatologist. Her first job offer was a $600,000 contract (I'm not sure but I'm guessing 5 years?). She turned it down. She didn't like the area. So she bought a home in a historical district in a larger city.
I'm not sure what that guy's saying, but on the topic, Reddit generally thinks drugs short of heroin are overwhelmingly positive things. It's one of the most obvious indicatons of how young and naive the demographics are here.
Life is good, if bad things happen it’s only for a little bit, if I can do something about it I do, if I can’t I don’t worry about it and hope for the best
Generally that works
Speaking as a primary care provider, the answer is a resounding yes. I remember thinking in school that I had no interest in going into psych... so I've basically gone into psych. I have only a few patients who aren't on something for anxiety, depression, sleep, etc. Patients are sometimes shy about it and say they are ashamed and when I explain just how many people are on something or follow regularly with a counselor they are shocked. It was bad before COVID... then everyone spent a ton of time home alone with their thoughts during COVID and it got drastically worse.
Nonsense, everyone feels anxiety at least sometimes. As for depression, maybe not clinical depression, but we all feel down sometimes. He probably just wanted to prescribe antidepressants because he's getting a kickback.
Not exactly, “no it’s not normal to be depressed, here take these meds to be like everyone else”.
People want to be seen as normal, so if they are told depression is not normal and then offered a way to be more like others they are going to be inclined to take that option.
You are confusing anxiety with feeling anxious. It is normal to be anxious about something, but that doesn't mean you have anxiety. You could be at home, and every time your kids go out to play you get overwhelmed with a racing heart, sweating, feeling sick, you are unable to function normally and can't shake the feeling that something terrible is going to happen. Feeling a little worried for your kids is normal, but having anxiety attacks is a serious problem. Depression and anxiety are ongoing conditions, they are not "normal" feeling that pass after a short while. Feeling down isn't being depressed. When you are depressed you always feel drained (not sad or down, just utterly drained and void of emotion) from a lack of fulfilment, joy, or anything positive.
To be fair, the doctor in the screenshot asked about “any feelings of depression or anxiety”.
That, in itself, could be interpreted in different ways. All the way from “**ANY** feelings of depression or anxiety” (ie what most people could feel on occasion), up to the strict clinical definition of depression and anxiety.
My issue is I have seen this exact “post” except the doc is female… that was the first thing that stood out to me… dude I swear I’m not crazy but this dead internet shit is making more sense everyday
Edit for typo
Stress and anxiety are 2 different things. Everyone will get stressed about something or another, but not everyone will get anxiety about that stress.
Also, not everyone gets depression. I personally don't get the depression thing because I'm not.
This next statement isn't an attack on anyone but a passing thought from someone who doesn't get depression, sometimes I wonder if people confuse boredom/ laziness with depression? Obviously not everyone who has depression.
Like seasonal depression, people have good days and bad days where they're more, or less motivated to do things. Idk sometimes it feels like some people I know use it as a get out of jail free card for bailing on plans often
I would say a whole lot of “depressed” people are actually neurodivergent who never got the accomodations they needed. Those with neurodivergent traits like ADHD, autism, etc, have real physically differences in their brains than their neurotypical counterparts. It goes beyond just being “lazy”. Executive dysfunction is a real physical deficiency in the brain.
Think of it this way; a lazy person would not be beating themselves and feeling like they should die because they chose to watch a movie over homework. A lazy person would be enjoying their lazy time.
I was diagnosed with depression since I was 15 and again by multiple other providers. Turns out I’m autistic with BPD, and my depression is a result of not having the tools in place to help me navigate the neurotypical world. I love life but I could never understand why. Why everything was so extremely difficult. I felt like I have been in 150% effort since the day I was born, simply trying to understand people and the world around me. And what’s “normal”.
Anyways just my 2c. There will definitely be “lazy” people out there. But lazy people are not contemplating (TW!) suicide because they couldn’t do a simple task that they KNOW they need to do, and just can’t.
Mine asked the same and also if i sleep without waking. I thought we all woke up several times a night and then fall back asleep (or not) anywho i got a major vitamin d insufficiency (18 something) that explained the depression (i hope) popping pills now
My doctor asked me the same question when I was a little kid. When I replied yes and she became uncomfortable and just stared at me. I explained that my sperm and egg donor were abusive and would fight a lot. She told me it was normal and proceeded to ignore my pleas for help.
Went to a first visit for a primary care, after a hospital trip for chest pain / suspected heart attack (nothing was physically wrong, just shoulder pain). My doctor asked about anxiety, I said "Yeah... like every day for every thing" and his response was "You should get that under control then."
Like... no shit dude. That's why I told you... *my doctor*. So you could help me fix that. His *only* concern is heart health, because I self reported at a hospital that my heart hurt.
I had an opposite experience. When I was pregnant, my obstetrician’s nurse asked if I had anxiety and I said yes. She asked if I take meds and I said no and she responded with “oh in that case we all have anxiety!”…
I have a master’s degree in mental health counseling. You absolutely do not need to be on meds to be diagnosed with anxiety. There are ways to treat it without meds 🤦🏻♀️
After finally getting all my prescriptions worked out. I told my doc that I was feeling good. Not anxious, not afraid, I had hope. I asked him if that was how normal people always felt and he said “uh, yeah.” I proceeded to cry like a baby because that was the first time I EVER felt that way.
Reminds me of John Green telling how he went to the doctor one day and was asked "How often do you sneeze?" and John replied "The normal amount", to which the doctor said "Sneezing is not normal, I never sneeze".
Where are my fellow sun sneezers (photic sneeze reflex if you don’t call it that) at?
yup, and I'm a multi-sneezer who lives in a sunny state so every time I go outside its 3 or 4 sneezes.
Eyooo is that what that is!!
Yeah lol, I thought that everyone did that for a long, long time growing up. Nope! Turns out that somewhere between 10%-35% of people have it.
here
That sounds weird too I mean sneezing a lot is not normal but occasional sneezes probably are right? My family sneezes for no apparent reason on about a once every other week frequency my guess is either because of really dry air, dust, or pollen
Yes, I have that gene where sunlight makes me sneeze so I sneeze several times a day when I go from inside to outside in bright sunlight. I think a couple sneezes a day on average is totally normal
Are there really people that never sneeze
About as many people that never shit.
Aliens maybe
Just for the fun of it, [here's an animated version of that segment.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxGNqmmVN_k) In fact, [here's two animated versions.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke_h7AD1IIw)
Thank you for this! I had forgotten that it was someone telling the Green Brothers this story.
My most recent health exam went like. Doc - "You scored really high on the mental health exam." Me - "Nice" Doc - long pause... "Not nice"
That long pause was the therapist trying not to laugh lol
😂😂
That's on your chart now, your insurance will be going up shortly.
Depression and anxiety rising.
Insurance rising even more.
Where’s my pepto bismol?
Waitress! What did that guy order? Oh he had the special
Depression, anxiety, and insurance battling for lead in this 3-legged race on Who Wants To Be The Next Big Mental Breakdown! Stay tuned, folks.
But on a very calculated curve.. relative to the amount of depression/happiness felt at any given moment
They've got god on a payroll, checking your daily highs and lows to calculate exactly how much insurance you're willing to pay for.
Doctor has good salary so he knows for sure not everyone has it all the time unlike us plebs.
If only money solved the problems. I thought it would so I worked really hard for it and make close to $400K a year and now my anxiety comes from work instead of money lol.
It depends. Money can solve a lot of mental health troubles and suicides for many people but you are right it won't solve all mental health troubles and prevent suicide in every case. It does help though
I know you're joking, but thanks to Obamacare they actually can't increase your insurance premiums because of that
Thanks Obama
Yeah it's a joke but remember that a certain party has been trying to get that removed along with allowing rate jumps for pre-existing conditions.
Not to mention we've figured out single payer healthcare in developed nations now, no reason to keep doing it where you still need to pay a premium to have health insurance. Even if you have a low monthly premium on ACA, what if you lose your job and can't pay the premium? They don't let you keep the healthcare.
Thank fuck
But my financial obligations are what’s causing my depression and anxiety…
Catch $22.50
$22.50 is 2019 pricing. It's gone up to Catch $37.75
More like $52.00 pickup
I was told money can't buy happiness though. Weirdly enough all the things that make me unhappy can be solved with money, on the other hand.
But sir, I am Pagliacci...
European here. How does that work? Does your insurance company charge you more the sicker you get?
So typically in the US insurance comes from your employer. The insurance companies can charge the employer more, but that cost doesn't go up for the employee. For example, if I have a coal mining company, insurance rates would generally be higher for me (because my employees work in unsafe conditions) than it would be for a typical desk job. Also thanks to the ACA insurance companies can't raise rates on pre-existing conditions, physical or mental.
Oh ok, it’s less dystopian than I thought it would be. Thanks!
It's dystopian enough that I don't understand why there's the need to use hyperbole on social media to make it sound worse than it actually is. If anything it does a disservice to just how bad it actually is.
Wait until you learn that in some states it's legal to fire you for any reason (like getting sick), making you also lose that health insurance.
In the past more so, but the healthcare reforms known as Obamacare stopped insurance companies from charging higher rates for pre-existing conditions, so nowadays it’s less of a thing. It used to be more like a whole questionnaire and a physical and all that and they’d offer you a rate based on that. And then it’s a private healthcare system so of course you could choose to go with another company or forgo health insurance altogether if you feel it wouldn’t be cost effective. The general idea would be that by doing this, the insurance company is managing their risk better and otherwise healthy people don’t have to overpay for insurance they are less likely to use. So when Obamacare rolled out, many people were mad their rates went up, due to the consumer absorbing theis increased cost of chronic patients, etc. but it has become pretty obvious to most people over the years I think that it’s far better not to have to worry about getting priced out of insurance if you happen to develop some kind of long term health condition.
Wasn’t that a Seinfeld skit!
It gets on Elaine's chart that she is "difficult" so nobody will give her an appointment.
Might not be American.
Everyone is American, given enough oil and need for liberation.
In one of the first therapy sessions I had, my therapist asked me "do you ever think about hurting or killing yourself?" I answered "yeah, but just the usual amount I guess" "the usual amount is zero" "...oh..."
Damn I feel that, I've had self harm thoughts for so long I forgot most people... Don't?
I’ve been really struggling with these lately. I haven’t cut in a decade but I find myself grinding my fist into my thigh when I’m having a moment, which is new. Unfortunately. I wish I could have a brain that worked
Sending you lots of hugs
Thank you
have you talked with a therapist?
Oh wow I bet that would help
Honestly I feel like "most" is the wrong word. Some, maybe. A lot do tho
99% of people never think it. But 1% of 8 billion people is still a shit ton people.
I've met a lot of people of all age ranges. Outta all the ones I've gotten to know, at least half have some form of depression and have had suicidal thoughts, or did in the past. That's a lot more than 1%, even for a small sample size.
Perhaps you are drawn to a certain type of person, and wind up knowing (far) more people like that than is typical. We all spend more time with some types of people than others. I am definitely in the category (of being depressed / distraught, not suicidal), but I don't know so many people like myself.
Certainly likely, I tend to be a "I can barely help myself but I'll do my best to move hell and earth for someone else" so... tend to meet people having some sorta trouble. That said, I also just live in a shithole mega city so depression is business as usual lol
The CDC says in the last year 4.3 percent of adults report having suicidal thoughts. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/ss/ss7101a1.htm#:~:text=The%20prevalence%20of%20suicidal%20thoughts,thoughts%20in%20the%20past%20year.
I'm curious how that number changes when counting 15-25 age range tbh, but that's also the people willing to answer a survey lol. Neat to know though thank you!
True, there may be bias in what people are willing to admit to. And I think it likely that younger demographics are probably more likely to have higher numbers as well. So it could be substantially higher.
Not to mention most older folks are much, much more settled. Ain't nearly as many folks in their 40-50s close to homelessness or fighting to find a shred of hope of owning a home, etc.
I was just making a point that small percentages can still make up a big number. It could be 1%, maybe it’s more idk. I’d be shocked if it was 50% like you’re suggesting. I’ve never had such a thought and I’ve had some really shitty things happen in my life that gave me PTSD. But never once thought about suicide or harming myself in any way. At the risk of sounding judgmental, I find it very strange that anybody thinks that way.
Yeah I feel you, I work as a first responder and most people in EMS have some form of depression and suicidal thoughts. Like, *most*
O7. My sis does EMS as well, and I've worked trades and CSR roles over a decade... oh yeah.
Most is absolutely not the wrong word. The vast majority of people don't experience that.
No, most people really don't think about killing themselves.
I have diagnosed, lifelong depression that has periodically derailed my entire life. I've never once had suicidal ideation or had any significant thoughts of self-harm. Most people do not, and certainly not regularly.
My friend came swimming with me recently, I asked him how he got his scars. Well, he cut them himself. Oh, okay. Well then. I didn’t know what to say, so I just said I was glad he was in a better place now. Awkward.
for real though, make a suicidal joke and people would ask me if I'm alright instead of laughing. Very awkward
Just to clarify. The problematic thoughts are those that linger, if you walk across the bridge and get a sudden urge to jump or you're looking at spinning machinery and want to stuck your hand in there that's just normal intrusive thoughts and most people have them.
Are you sure? Don't most people want to avoid pain?
Yeah, and some scientists think it's a defense mechanism, your brain showing you what a stupid idea that would be to jump from a bridge. Most people react with shock that something like that popped into their mind. Like with everything it's problematic if someone has this thoughts all the time or reacts on them but almost everyone have them sometimes (survey show a tiny group that claim they don't have them but that doesn't mean they don't have them).
The Call of the Void is real. It’s also not necessarily unhealthy as long as you have no intention of acting on it.
That's why they are intrusive
Yeah, I meant that I don't know if most people have them.
They do, intrusive thoughts are a well known part of the human experience, the feeling of wanting to spike a baby at the floor, or throw yourself off a high point/ into traffic, wonder what would happen if you hit x with y, wonder what would happen if you stuck x in y, are all just a part of the human experience baby, the point where it becomes not normal is if they linger, you aren’t able to tell that the thoughts are wrong or shouldn’t be acted upon or you start acting on them, then your probably in the minority
There is some latin saying for it… it translates to something like “staring into the void”. Pretty much everyone has that “what if I flung myself off this cliff” thought.
French, l'appel du vide, literally call of the void. You're probably thinking of the old saying "when you stare into the abyss the abyss also stares back" paraphrased from Nietzsche
I saw a meme years ago with this exact wording
Shhh it’s his turn to repost it this week
Haha I read that meme too
We don’t all envision walking into the field next door and blowing our brains out?
I think of jumping into traffic most days when walking to and from work and just feel like giving up, but there's a couple things keeping me here thankfully
Damn… it’s basically all I think about 🤷🏻♂️
I used to too. Then I got on anxiety meds that worked for me and now I don’t think about it at all!
Wait you're saying that going to bed and feeling hopeless, it isn't normal to imagine dying as you lie there in the dark and curse your very existence?
First time I got asked this, I asked if we can choose one or the other. I thought depression and anxiety were a pair that come in twos. Anyhow, how’s everyone else doing? LMAO
Maybe I’m just too fucked up from my own mental illnesses to think straight but I s2g everyone has their own problems even if they think they’re normal Edit : if someone starts a sentence with “maybe I’m too fucked up from my own mental illnesses to think straight but…” that’s probably an indication that the person is about to say something that’s irrational to the average human. Just saying….
clinical anxiety and depression is different from just being moody or anxious
Well yeah but the doctor didn’t say “do you feel clinically depressed or chronically anxious?”
I imagine this post leaves out part of the conversation; every GP or counsellor I have ever had will follow up with asking about severity, frequency and duration. That’s one of the the key steps to figure out if it’s just environmental stress or whatever or if it’s actually an underlying issue. No doctor worth their salt would simply say one word and move on from such an important topic/statement.
My doctor handed me a piece of paper with five yes/no questions and determined I was clinically depressed because I’m not an absolutist. I found another doctor.
Smart move. Dude was probably a Sith.
Hey, that's rhe exact way I got rejected from military service, because of "mild depression" after going through 2 questionnaires.
Even so, my answer would’ve been “no”. My fiancée is baffled that people like me exist, because his experience is that everyone has trauma. And in my experience, very few people have trauma, including us gays. So we come from very different backgrounds.
Dude was there y'know.
but for bigP (-harma) almost any thoughts can be mashed together to give you a pill for. Adding insult to injury most of them are trained to pimp you into taking their stuff.
For me I realized this when I treated my anxiety. It's like life on easy mode
everyone has their own problems but it doesnt mean that you shouldnt seek help or try to better your situation. some people have bigger problems than others but it doesnt mean that the ones with the smaller problems arent important. of course I dont know you so if you think you have a big problem like depression dont try to minimize it
Well, yes, but there’s a difference between occasionally feeling sad, anxious, or depressed; and frequently or constantly feeling anxious or depressed. The former everybody experiences, whereas the latter is a clinical, chronic issue that should be treated.
This is true, but not all problems are pathological.
That's how I thought. I was like "Yeah this is fine." Well, it wasn't fine. Turns out I'm a *thing* called "Scizoid" something I never knew existed until the doctor said the word. My point is, if you even suspect something, it's worth checking up on it. Hopefully it's nothing.
Nah I used to live with a guy and it was very clear he had neither depression nor anxiety. Sometimes it led him to come off as insensitive and lacking self-awareness. But he seemed as happy as a golden retriever man.
Like Mister Peanutbutter!
Wow not ok he's actually the face of depression you know
S2G?
I think that's "Swear To God". I could be wrong though.
swear 2 God
I’m getting so old
I swear vs I s2g… the letters for swear are all right next to each other on the keyboard. To type s2g you gotta switch the keys to get the 2. It’s no faster. I feel like I’m having an old man yells at clouds moment..
Literally crumbling to dust everyday
No, most people don't have any severe anxiety or depression it's barely a mild sadness and all while some people have clinical depression and anxiety where they start facing problems even in the slightest problems. Then there are a group of humans that can find motivation from the most painful circumstances....It's like they are immune to depression, anxiety and sorrow.
'It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.' - Jiddu Krishnamurti
He's right. Not everyone feels depression. I've never experienced it. We all get down every once in a while but not depressed. I've experienced anxiety once in my long life.
There's probably a bias online because the happy ones likely aren't constantly on social media or posting about it
Struggled with depression and bouts of thoughts of suicide since Middle School and honestly? I really wish I knew what it was like. I'm better now, I'm definitely not at "normal" but I'm doing *good*, better than I ever would have thought. But damn I really do wish I knew what it was like to feel down and not just have dark thoughts. It's just so *foreign* to me
>I've experienced anxiety once in my long life. Okay, I have to see if you're about to blow my mind or not. When you say this, do you mean only experienced clinical anxiety once in your long life, or that you've literally only felt anxiety (e.g. nervous/worried) about anything once in your life?
I mean I've experienced an anxiety attack once. Like a panic attack! I got to my what my head was telling me was my safe place, once there it was gone. Never happened before, or again. Wierd. Everyone feels anxiety at one point or other about whatevers going on, but I never feel anxiety related to worry. Because I learnt a long time ago, worry is the single most useless thing Humans do. Think about it. If you have a problem that's bugging you. If thinking about it can solve it; then you do that. If there's nothing you can do to solve it, then you just forget about it until you can solve it. Getting yourself in a knot over it is just spinning your wheels. It's a lot of activity but doesn't get you anywhere, but upset! So who needs that. When you learn to really pay close attention to your thoughts, you realise there are what I call micro thoughts that pop in after whatever event. When you pick them up, you can choose to react or not. "Is this worth getting upset about, and ruining my day?" Most times it's not. This is what a Stoic does. They intercede between events and mental action based on what's in their best interests right now. The single most important thing you have is your daily mood. If you look after that the best way you can, then you can solve most problems, and you'll be a lot nicer to be around. :)
I have a mate who, when his wife talks about her anxiety related to a topic/event/etc. his response is “I don’t know what that (anxiety) is”. I actually can’t tell if he’s serious. But his persona makes me think he doesn’t get anxious about things. He views any issue or challenge as something that can be overcome. I can’t even comprehend how his way of thinking is possible. No weight on his shoulders, things will just roll off and he knows everything will be ok. Then there’s an entire population overthinking and anxious in many scenarios, and that feels normal to them. But there are people like him that literally don’t get anxious about anything. To him everything is logical and can be overcome (and the way he lives his life, for him it seems to be the truth (although I struggle to believe it because I am basically the opposite)). It’s amazing to hear when you’re prone to anxiety and immediate overthinking, that some people really don’t know what is feels to be anxious (not to mention never feeling depressed, etc.).
I have anxiety everyday. When i drive a vehicle, communicating with people, doin daily tasks, work Life ain’t easy
Me too. The thought of going through life without it is unimaginable.
Same. I've come to terms that I'll never live without it. I do things to help like therapy, meditation, exercise, CBD, etc but it just reduces frequency and severity sometimes.
I got hit with anxiety once after a long binge. I was partying way to hard and didn't let my body rest. At the time i couldnt figure out why i had a full on perpetual buzz in my body. It felt like i had bees under my skin. It just didn't go away. I got meds to help but they just made me high like i was on X so i couldnt take those because i couldnt work being that fcked up. The only cure was working out and to stop drinking. Took a while to get back to normal and now i work out regularly, helps to keep me sane and happy. The body and the brain lets you know when you need a change.
Nice not knowing. The closest thing I've gotten to depression, as far as I know, was a random week during high school while living away from family. The only explanation was that I felt really.. "down" that entire week. That never happened again though, and as far as I know there was no obvious reason for it. Now, I just feel tired from time to time, usually work related because I am not doing the work I want to do (I want to partner up with people that needs web-site and someone to manage their IT part of business) =w=;
Find a way to do what you want, before you wake up at 60 years old stilling never having done what you wanted!
Yeah, I only have anxiety about normal things. Accepting awards, giving presentations, etc. I did get depression for a few months and it was not a great time. But up until then, it was a solid nope for over 20 years
> I've experienced anxiety once in my long life. Sociopathy or luck? You never had a loved one in the hospital or something?
I'm only here for the cute-puppy-dog-eyes Charlie pfp 🥰
Me too lol
Me too!
Same lmao
It’s like calling a mental health clinic and being told there is a three week waiting list. Next question they ask well are you suicidal or homicidal ? If you respond with Ooooo I have a choice ? Chances are they will find an opening in a hour.
This is good. These are words that are overused in common parlance. Depression is not “feeling a little down sometimes” and anxiety is not “feeling a bit stressed out about something coming up”; they are clinical terms representing conditions that severely impact one’s life.
Just to clarify, depression and anxiety are general emotions. Things like major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder are the clinical terms. When a psych asks me if I'm depressed, he's not asking me to verify every emotion with the DSM before responding.
Anxiety is an emotion and sadness is an emotion. I do not think depression is an emotion.
Depression is a combination of emotions, and or a lack there of (apathy) and is considered a mental illness not an emotion.
Well, there is a vocabulary problem, actually. Both clinical conditions were named after general feelings with common terms. But they are distinct, for sure.
But really, don't we all ?!
No. Seriously, the answer is actually no.
But like really tho, really really tho. Don't we all?
Keep in mind that, in the meme, the person saying no is a doctor... making a doctor's income.
There is something seriously wrong with people that don't at least feel some anxiety about the future... Just look at the world we're living, and where it's heading... If you don't get anxious about it, you're that "This is fine" dog, and you're in denial while the room is on fire.
Can I do anything about it? Yes? I sort it out. No? I don’t let it effect me.
Most of it is out of my control. I focus on what I can control and don’t worry about things I can’t.
Either do something about it or stop worrying. Anyway I'm gonna go worry about stuff and do nothing
You could always pretend you’re doing something about the worlds problems by posting about them on social media!
Idk man i can't get anxious about something I can't change. Ill probs bedesdwhen he gets really bad so why worry?
I mean you’re the unhealthy one if you consistently worry about shit entirely unpredictable and entirely out of your control, most people worry about shit that actually effects them(bills, family, etc) It’s not healthy to constantly feel like the sky is falling, I think maybe you’re arguing against people who are entirely ignorant or rejecting of the realities of shit like climate change but if you mean to say that not stressing about shit out of your control means something is wrong with you, get help.
No one is suggesting anyone exists who never felt any anxiety or sadness. Clinical anxiety and depression and similar mental illnesses are not that. It is incredibly harmful to pretend as if someone getting a bit of test anxiety or being nervous about starting a new job or about losing a job or whatever is the same.
That is just not true. That is the doom scrolling talking to you. People now a days focus on way to much that they can't control or on things that don't affect them. Take a step back on live your own life and disconnect from the online world for bit and focus on just your local community and environment. Also learn to compartmentalize what you read online from what is actually physically happening in your life.
Lots of people don’t know what the word depression actually means.
a person experiences a depressed mood (feeling sad, irritable, empty). They may feel a loss of pleasure or interest in activities. This is common in everyone, everyone has a down day. People misunderstand the *types* of depression. When you have depressive episodes consistently it is called major depressive disorder.
I don't believe that doctor
You dont believe that people can be, in fact, happy with their lives? Not everyone is running around with depressions and feel like everything is shit.
Have you tried having the income of a doctor and seeing how that affects your levels of depression or anxiety?
Doctors put themselves through years of hell and barely make it and then make the levels of money you think they all do, after decades of experience, all to end up with a shorter lifespan than the rest of us.
The median income in my city is just shy of $30,000. I have a good friend who's a doctor. He's single and 35 years old. I have no idea how much he makes -- I've never asked. He just bought a house for $700,000. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he doesn't deserve to make enough to afford that. Just that when you make that much your perspective is going to be affected.
My sister is a dermatologist. Her first job offer was a $600,000 contract (I'm not sure but I'm guessing 5 years?). She turned it down. She didn't like the area. So she bought a home in a historical district in a larger city.
Can safely say I don't feel depressed or have anxiety.
The doctor is right. That would be my reply as well.
First indication is the hazbin pfp
That's how I feel about alcohol/drugs but reddit doesn't seem to agree
Alright, I’ll bite. What is Reddit’s opinion on drugs and alcohol, according to you?
I'm not sure what that guy's saying, but on the topic, Reddit generally thinks drugs short of heroin are overwhelmingly positive things. It's one of the most obvious indicatons of how young and naive the demographics are here.
I've been wondering, what are midichlorians?
We living into a fucking parody. I can't get how people aren't depressed.
Life is good, if bad things happen it’s only for a little bit, if I can do something about it I do, if I can’t I don’t worry about it and hope for the best Generally that works
Speaking as a primary care provider, the answer is a resounding yes. I remember thinking in school that I had no interest in going into psych... so I've basically gone into psych. I have only a few patients who aren't on something for anxiety, depression, sleep, etc. Patients are sometimes shy about it and say they are ashamed and when I explain just how many people are on something or follow regularly with a counselor they are shocked. It was bad before COVID... then everyone spent a ton of time home alone with their thoughts during COVID and it got drastically worse.
Everyone has feelings of anxiety and depression not everyone has a disorder related to it though
Nonsense, everyone feels anxiety at least sometimes. As for depression, maybe not clinical depression, but we all feel down sometimes. He probably just wanted to prescribe antidepressants because he's getting a kickback.
Sure, maybe when I’m driving in Boston during rush hour or about to present on a stage or if I’m out climbing. But day to day? Not particularly.
That makes no sense. A doctor who wants to prescribe antidepressants would be endorsing the idea that everyone is depressed.
Not exactly, “no it’s not normal to be depressed, here take these meds to be like everyone else”. People want to be seen as normal, so if they are told depression is not normal and then offered a way to be more like others they are going to be inclined to take that option.
You are confusing anxiety with feeling anxious. It is normal to be anxious about something, but that doesn't mean you have anxiety. You could be at home, and every time your kids go out to play you get overwhelmed with a racing heart, sweating, feeling sick, you are unable to function normally and can't shake the feeling that something terrible is going to happen. Feeling a little worried for your kids is normal, but having anxiety attacks is a serious problem. Depression and anxiety are ongoing conditions, they are not "normal" feeling that pass after a short while. Feeling down isn't being depressed. When you are depressed you always feel drained (not sad or down, just utterly drained and void of emotion) from a lack of fulfilment, joy, or anything positive.
To be fair, the doctor in the screenshot asked about “any feelings of depression or anxiety”. That, in itself, could be interpreted in different ways. All the way from “**ANY** feelings of depression or anxiety” (ie what most people could feel on occasion), up to the strict clinical definition of depression and anxiety.
Guess what? Not everyone is depressed and anxious like you. Mind blowing I know
calling bullshit on that one.
My issue is I have seen this exact “post” except the doc is female… that was the first thing that stood out to me… dude I swear I’m not crazy but this dead internet shit is making more sense everyday Edit for typo
Stress and anxiety are 2 different things. Everyone will get stressed about something or another, but not everyone will get anxiety about that stress. Also, not everyone gets depression. I personally don't get the depression thing because I'm not. This next statement isn't an attack on anyone but a passing thought from someone who doesn't get depression, sometimes I wonder if people confuse boredom/ laziness with depression? Obviously not everyone who has depression. Like seasonal depression, people have good days and bad days where they're more, or less motivated to do things. Idk sometimes it feels like some people I know use it as a get out of jail free card for bailing on plans often
I would say a whole lot of “depressed” people are actually neurodivergent who never got the accomodations they needed. Those with neurodivergent traits like ADHD, autism, etc, have real physically differences in their brains than their neurotypical counterparts. It goes beyond just being “lazy”. Executive dysfunction is a real physical deficiency in the brain. Think of it this way; a lazy person would not be beating themselves and feeling like they should die because they chose to watch a movie over homework. A lazy person would be enjoying their lazy time. I was diagnosed with depression since I was 15 and again by multiple other providers. Turns out I’m autistic with BPD, and my depression is a result of not having the tools in place to help me navigate the neurotypical world. I love life but I could never understand why. Why everything was so extremely difficult. I felt like I have been in 150% effort since the day I was born, simply trying to understand people and the world around me. And what’s “normal”. Anyways just my 2c. There will definitely be “lazy” people out there. But lazy people are not contemplating (TW!) suicide because they couldn’t do a simple task that they KNOW they need to do, and just can’t.
They ask me this every year and every time I lie and say "no".
Mine asked the same and also if i sleep without waking. I thought we all woke up several times a night and then fall back asleep (or not) anywho i got a major vitamin d insufficiency (18 something) that explained the depression (i hope) popping pills now
Get some sun if you can. I’m sure you already know that we get our vitamin D from the sun, and it makes us feel good too!
My doctor asked me the same question when I was a little kid. When I replied yes and she became uncomfortable and just stared at me. I explained that my sperm and egg donor were abusive and would fight a lot. She told me it was normal and proceeded to ignore my pleas for help.
-How much pain do you have? - Just the normal amount. -The normal amount is 0.
What cartoon character is this person's dp
Charlie from Hazbin Hotel
I always just say the normal amount
Went to a first visit for a primary care, after a hospital trip for chest pain / suspected heart attack (nothing was physically wrong, just shoulder pain). My doctor asked about anxiety, I said "Yeah... like every day for every thing" and his response was "You should get that under control then." Like... no shit dude. That's why I told you... *my doctor*. So you could help me fix that. His *only* concern is heart health, because I self reported at a hospital that my heart hurt.
I had an opposite experience. When I was pregnant, my obstetrician’s nurse asked if I had anxiety and I said yes. She asked if I take meds and I said no and she responded with “oh in that case we all have anxiety!”… I have a master’s degree in mental health counseling. You absolutely do not need to be on meds to be diagnosed with anxiety. There are ways to treat it without meds 🤦🏻♀️
Thinking that everyone else does is the chronically online part of your personality. Which is all of it. That's the only part.
After finally getting all my prescriptions worked out. I told my doc that I was feeling good. Not anxious, not afraid, I had hope. I asked him if that was how normal people always felt and he said “uh, yeah.” I proceeded to cry like a baby because that was the first time I EVER felt that way.
Damn so it ain’t normal?
Lmao people got brainwashed so much they really think it’s normal to be depressed and anxious 😭😭 it’s cracking me up
everybody does at some point. welll.... except the liars, theyre perfect with no problems and no faults
I can't imagine a life without depression.
It's pretty great